Durban - A man was critically injured in a minibus taxi crash in Durban and had to be airlifted to hospital early on Saturday morning, paramedics said.

Netcare 911 responded just after 6.30am to reports of a minibus taxi crash on the M25 under the N2 bridge in Durban North, Netcare 911 spokesman Shawn Herbst said.

Reports from the scene indicated that at least 15 people sustained injuries ranging from minor to serious. One man was found to be in a critical condition and was treated on the scene by Reaction Unit South Africa (RUSA) and a Netcare 911 emergency care practitioner.

Due to the nature of his injuries, the Netcare 5 specialised helicopter ambulance was called to the scene to airlift the man to hospital for further treatment. The Ethekwini Fire and Rescue Services, the South African Police Service, and metro police were on the scene, Herbst said.